There’s an updated (April 2020) Licensing Brief detailing how to license the Windows desktop operating system for use with virtual machines. It covers the different licences available, the different options for deploying Windows VMs, and a whole host of licensing scenarios.
Find this licensing brief here: https://bit.ly/WindOSVMsApr2020
The Microsoft 365 E3 – Unattended licence allows a bot to run repetitive tasks in a Windows client/Office app without user intervention.
This new (May 2020) Licensing Brief has some useful introductory information, a section on licensing scenarios showing when this new licence is needed, and an FAQ.
Find this licensing brief here: https://bit.ly/M365ULic
Microsoft launched their Robotic Process Automation (RPA) capability in April, 2020. As a reminder, RPA helps users to automate tasks by recording actions to be played back later, either with human interaction (known as “attended”) or without (“unattended”). if you want to find out more about this capability, then there’s a new (April 2020) Licensing Brief which directs you to RPA documentation and resources, and includes a number of FAQs with a full section dedicated to licensing and pricing questions.
Find this Licensing Brief here: https://bit.ly/RPVPowAutApr2020
If you want to increase your knowledge around Azure Cost Management then there’s a new Learning Path in Microsoft Learn. Snazzily entitled “Control Azure spending and manage bills with Azure Cost Management + Billing” it consists of three modules: Design for efficiency and operations in Azure, Predict costs and optimize spending for Azure, and Analyze costs and create budgets with Azure Cost Management.
Find this free Learning Path here: https://bit.ly/2ylYh3j.
The May 2020 Product Terms is updated with clarification on how to license SQL Server running within a container. Essentially, the container is considered to be a virtual machine and the usual licensing rules apply. Find the text on page 30 and the latest Product Terms document here: http://bit.ly/MSproductterms.
Microsoft announce a new flavour of Microsoft 365 E3 – one that you can assign to a Bot to run repetitive tasks without user intervention.
The May 2020 Online Services Terms gives the low-down on the licensing: the Bot may use the suite in a physical or virtual machine including Windows Virtual Desktop, licence reassignment follows the same rules as if the Bot were a (real) user, and it’s an (illegal) multiplexing scenario if the Bot carries out activities on behalf of an unlicensed user or device.
Find the announcement here: https://bit.ly/3d9zqhW, and get the current Online Services Terms here: http://bit.ly/MSproductterms.
If you want a good overview of how you can prevent unexpected charges for the Azure services then this article has some useful information: https://bit.ly/2WiZcte. It’s a 12 minute read with the following sections: getting estimated costs, monitoring costs, optimising and reducing costs, and analysing unexpected charges.
The May 2020 Product Terms is updated for the retirement of the Windows Thin PC SA benefit corresponding to the end of support for Windows 7. Find the relevant text on page 6 and download the latest Product Terms document here: http://bit.ly/MSproductterms.
Microsoft announce that budget evaluations in Azure Cost Management now include Reservations and Marketplace purchases rather than just usage information.
Find the announcement here: https://bit.ly/2KWjqDW, some examples on how you might implement the new features here: https://bit.ly/2WgjUtO, and a tutorial on creating budgets here: https://bit.ly/2Whw8lU.
Originally called Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection and known mainly as being the difference between Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5, Microsoft Defender ATP is now ready (from a licensing perspective) to provide an Endpoint Protection Platform for both client and server devices. If you’re new to Microsoft Defender ATP then this is a good overview video (https://bit.ly/2ynwvmP) to give you a flavour of the protection, detection and response capabilities.
And so to the licensing, starting with client devices. Microsoft Defender ATP is still included in Windows 10 Enterprise E5, the Windows 10 Enterprise E3 to E5 Step-up licence, as well as Microsoft 365 E5 Security, and Microsoft 365 E5 User SLs. What’s more recent is that there’s now also a standalone User SL available which can be purchased to protect Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 Pro devices, as well as Mac devices. It’s available in the EA and through CSP, and covers the licensed user for up to 5 devices for about $5 per user per month.
From a server perspective, there’s another new licence – MDATP for Servers – which protects a server VM for, again, about $5 per VM per month. Customers wishing to buy this licence to protect servers must meet some minimum requirements first – they must have a minimum of 50 client MDATP licences, which can be any combination of the licences mentioned above. Microsoft recommend MDATP for Servers as a solution likely to appeal to customers with on-premises virtual machines, and continue to recommend Azure Security Center Standard as the preferred solution for VMs running in Azure. This is around $15 per VM per month and includes all of the Microsoft Defender ATP capability as well as a whole host of additional Azure services.
The May 2020 Product Terms has the relevant licensing rules if you want to check them out on pages 46 (client) and 75 (server). Get the latest Product Terms documents here: http://bit.ly/MSproductterms.